When democracy is attacked, one of the first things done is to suppress newspapers – Southgate News Herald
Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.
These wise words were spoken by Thomas Jefferson. He knew that preserving democracy required a strong and free press. Something the current occupant of the White House should realize. Although the press and the president have a natural adversarial role, Donald Trump has taken press bashing to dangerous levels.
In vitriolic attacks not seen since the days of Richard Nixon, Trump has routinely vilified the press.
Constantly denigrated as false and crooked, the news agencies have only done their jobs; maybe too well. At an off-camera press briefing at the White House, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, CNN and others were forcibly blocked and forbidden to be there and only a select group was admitted. Trump claimed CNN and others kept reporting stories critical of him; the so-called fake news. He should know being in the White House means being criticized.
Another president, Harry Truman, once said, If you cant stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
Speaking of Nixon, he despised the press, also. But were it not for the Washington Post, Watergate might have remained the third rate burglary he claimed it was. Were it not for the New York Times, we might never have known about the Pentagon Papers and our involvement in Vietnam.
Are we seeing a Nixon 2.0 with Trump? There are his bitter attacks on the media. Theres Kellyanne Conways bizarre assertion that there are alternative facts that reminds one of Nixons Press Secretary Ron Ziegler and his infamous comment of: This statement is operative. The others are inoperative.
Trump has already done the Saturday Night Massacre in which he fired the Acting Attorney General Susan Yates for not supporting his executive order on a Muslim ban which courts later blocked.
Were Jefferson alive today, he would be appalled at the animosity for the 4th Estate. He would lecture Trump on the importance of one of the bedrocks of our democracy. He would give him a sharp rebuke for saying the press was the enemy of the people.
Jefferson also said: Our first object should therefore be, to leave open to him all the avenues to truth. The most effectual hitherto found, is the freedom of the press. It is, therefore, the first shut up by those who fear the investigation of their actions.
History shows when democracy is attacked, one of the first things done is to suppress newspapers.
This is why the press needs to be a powerful check against the government, especially now.
When Trump claims he cant be challenged or his rulings cant be questioned, this arrogance must be reined in.
A Trump spokesperson, Stephen Miller, made an incredulous statement. Miller claimed Trump had absolute power when it came to issues like immigration. Show me anywhere in the Constitution where anyone has absolute power over anything. When claims are made that power cannot be questioned or challenged, it is time to do both loudly and repeatedly.
Jefferson observed: The only security of all is in a free press. The force of public opinion cannot be resisted when permitted freely to be expressed ....
That force was certainly seen nationally with the Womens March on Washington. It also was seen locally with many town hall meetings being packed with people expressing their opinions. Those who would deny or denounce these events do so at their own peril.
Detroit Judge Damon Keith of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit once said, democracies die behind closed doors. A free press will always make sure those doors are open to all.
Southgate resident Allan Bieniek has appeared in several publications, including The New York Times and the Harvard International Review.
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When democracy is attacked, one of the first things done is to suppress newspapers - Southgate News Herald